Various bearing structures have been used to support the rotating dryer drum within the cabinet of a dryer. Such support may take the form of a substantially axial shaft extending from the closed end of the drum and received in a suitable bearing. More generally there are bearings on both ends of the drum. In some instances the front bearing also provides a front bulkhead adjacent the open end of the dryer drum that fits into this open end.
In one front bulkhead structure, the bulkhead comprises upper and lower structural portions fitted together and mounted to the front panel of the dryer cabinet by snapping hooks and/or screws. The two bearing structural portions provide a ring like bearing support surface and form a stationary front bulkhead within the open end of the clothes dryer drum. The front bulkhead faces into the dryer drum and includes a clothes access opening through which clothing may enter the drum when the clothes dryer door, mounted to the front panel of the dryer, is opened. In some cases the front bulkhead has a grill like portion located below the clothes access opening. The grill portion has a series of air flow openings through which air leaves the dryer drum. As the dryer drum rotates it tumbles the clothing in the drum. During tumbling, the clothing comes into contact with the front bulkhead and the inside surface of the closed door. In some instances, the clothing has been known to contact the junction between the stationary bulkhead and the rotating drum. While tolerances at this junction are quite small, clothing can sometimes temporarily enter any gap in the junction between the dryer drum wall and the stationary bulkhead wall. This can damage or soil the clothing. Clearly, any improvements in clothes dryer construction that would reduce the risk of clothing contacting the junction between the stationary bulkhead and the rotating dryer drum would be advantageous.